Friday, July 30, 2010

* July 21, 1971 - The St. Petersburg entry in the Eastern Hockey League lacks a name and players but it does have a coach. Lloyd Hinchberger (pictured right), a veteran of 22 years in pro hockey, has signed to coach the team which will be based at the Bayfront Center.

* July 22, 1963 - Don Davidson, 28, of Ottawa Chaudiere, professional hockey player, used power driving and sharp putting to defeat Brian McGuian three and two Sunday and win the Quebec amateur golf championship. Davidson plays centre for Greensboro, N.C., Generals of the Eastern Hockey League.

* July 22, 1970 - Pat Kelly has signed a two-year contract to coach the Clinton, N.Y., Comets in the Eastern Hockey League, the Minnesota North Stars announced Tuesday. Wren Blair, manager of the National Hockey League North Stars, said the working agreement with Clinton was renewed. Kelly has won three straight championships and was the league's coach of the year in 1969-70.

* July 22, 1971 - Johnstown Jets' player-coach Dick Roberge (pictured right) sought, and was granted permission to relinquish his duties as Jets' ice boss. Jets' fans breathed easier July 7 when Roberge signed his 1971-72 player contract. Entering his 17th season as a Jet, Roberge is the all-time scoring champ in the Eastern Hockey League and the United States Amateur Hockey Association. The hunt for a coach to replace Roberge still continues, although Mitchell interviewed one applicant with outstanding credentials over the weekend. He is Eddie Kachur (Catcher), a veteran performer in the American Hockey League. An outstanding right winger, the 37- year-old Kachur scored 47 goals for the Providence Reds of the AHL in 1967-68.In addition to hunting a coach, Mithcell will also be on the lookout for a defenseman to replace Blake Ball, who announced his retirement July 10.

* July 23, 1971 - Jack Bownass (pictured left) was named the new coach of the Jacksonville, Fla., Rockets of the Eastern Hockey League. Last season he coached at Halifax in the Maritime Junior League. The Rockets have a working agreement with Toronto Maple Leafs of the National League. Bownass is 39 years of age and a native of Winnipeg.

* July 24, 1959 - Officials of the Greensboro Generals of the Eastern Hockey League have announced the club has signed a working agreement with the New York' Rangers of the National Hockey League. This marked the first deal, in which, an Eastern League club tied up with a major league hockey organization. Greensboro is making its debut in the Eastern League. The Generals will open their home schedule at the new Greensboro Coliseum on Nov. 11.

* July 25, 1956 - The Charlotte Clippers of the Eastern Hockey League will play 30 regular season home matches, opening Nov. 8, In their first professional hockey season. Jim Whittington of Charlotte, vice president of the club, also announced today the Clippers' president will be Charles Rock of Baltimore. Rock was president of the Baltimore Clippers last year when the team's home rink burned and it played the rest of its home schedule before enthusiastic Charlotte crowds. Whittington said he will meet this week with the Charlotte Coliseum Authority to sign a lease for use of the building at home games. Other Clippers officers are William O. Allen, a Charlotte accountant, secretary; Joe Small, partner with Rock in his Baltimore contracting business, treasurer. The tentative list of Eastern Hockey League teams includes Clinton, N. Y., New Haven, Conn, Johnrtown, PA., Philadelphia, Washington, and the only other new entry, the New York Rovers of Long Island.

* July 25, 1967 - Syracuse became the 12th member of the Eastern Hockey League Monday when league officials unanimously approved a Syracuse group's bid for a Northern Division franchise. Syracuse joins Long Island, New Haven, Jersey, Clinton and Johnstown in northern play. Jacksonville, Nashville, Knoxville, Charlotte, Greensboro and new addition Salem comprise the Southern Division. There'll be no inter-division competition this year except that between the winners of the respective divisions. It's expected that the Syracuse team will soon sign a working agreement with the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League and that the parent club will stock Syracuse's entry with numerous fine, young players. In addition to the Bruin recruits, Syracuse will be allowed to select players from a pool ol EHL competitors at the Aug. 15 draft in Roanoke, Va. Each of the 10 veteran EHL teams will place two players on the draft list for selection by Syracuse and Salem.

* July 26, 1957 - A backer has been found to build an ice plant and Raleigh, North Carolina will have an ice hockey team in the Eastern Hockey League next season, a Charlotte businessman said today. P. G. (Pete) Benard of Charlotte, would-be owner of the Raleigh team, told the Raleigh Times a northern backer would put up money for a plant which would furnish ice for a hockey arena. He did not identify the backer.

* July 26, 1964 - Bernard "Buzzy" Deschamps (pictured left) , who scored 57 goals to lead the Eastern Hockey league as an amateur last season, has signed a professional contract with the Baltimore Clippers of the American Hockey league.

* July 27, 1972 - Jack Wells, 24, was named Wednesday the new coach of the Charlotte Checkers of the Eastern Hockey League. His selection was announced at a news conference by Al Manch, Checkers' president.

About Me

I'm just an old Jersey EHL Devils fan, who loved the old league, and saw a need on the web for an Eastern Hockey League site. In July 2008, I started http://TheEHL.com. This blog is the companion site, allowing me to turn some of the dry raw info I've been collecting into a more interesting readable form. It also gives me a quick way to update people on EHL current events. There's a lot more than you might think!